Budget-Savvy Creative Gift Wrapping Ideas

The gift wrapping should not end up costing almost as much as the gift. Nevertheless, the wrapping paper and all the ribbons seem to add up quickly when one wants nice packaging.

The best thing about creative wrapping paper is the fact that you don’t have to invest much money into the materials. You just have to look at things differently.

Use brown kraft paper and brown twine

Kraft paper is dirt cheap, and it works beautifully. You can find it in shipping supply stores or order it in bulk online for pennies per piece.

It is also nice to have an uncluttered background from which you can work: attach an olive branch of rosemary or pine, secure it with kitchen string, or hand-stamp it in an artful design using a half potato covered in paint. The less-is-more aesthetic does not come off as cheap.

Newspaper sections that appeal to their interests

Old newspapers can make great wrapping paper. Your best bets are either the funnies or pages that contain interesting fonts.

International newspapers will give your gift a touch of elegance that will get compliments. Pages from sports sections make great wrapping paper if the gift recipient likes sports.

There will be contrast between the ink on the paper and the ribbon or natural items as decorations. Everything will otherwise end up in the recycling box.

Wrap furoshiki with scraps of fabric

When it comes to the traditional Japanese wrapping method of furoshiki, it is made from fabric rather than paper, and you do not have to purchase the material. You can use an old scarf, bandana, dish towel, or piece of fabric.

This will serve the purpose beautifully. The fabric will be a part of the present, as it can be reused. There are tutorials available on how to do furoshiki wrapping, some of which do not involve tying.

Choose maps that tell their story

Old road maps and atlases can be had for almost nothing at thrift shops. To wrap a present with a map of where that special person grew up, where they are traveling, or where they were met, among other places, brings added meaning.

This will be appreciated by geography buffs. The paper has substance for ease of use, and the colors tend to be earthy and pleasing.

Start with plain white and add colorful touches

Plain white butcher paper or even plain white paper will look amazing when you add some key touches to it. Use markers and/or crayons and draw some patterns.

Let the kids add their artwork to it. Add one branch of greenery and/or one orange slice, and watch as plain white is now interesting.

White backgrounds highlight what you put on them, and thus, your artwork will be in focus.

Instead of using boxes, use mason jars

Mason jars aren’t a one-trick pony. You can use them to package your own baked goods, bath salts, or other treats, covering just the lid with cloth fastened with a rubber band, then topping it off with twine or a ribbon.

You can also use paint or chalkboard paint on the lid for a more personal touch. Not only is the lid decorative, but you now have a use for the jar, too.

Turn toilet paper rolls into gift boxes

Toilet paper rolls can be changed into very adorable gift boxes with a few folds. Just unroll the toilet paper roll, fold the sides like a pillow box, and you have a small gift box with the potential to hold jewelry, gift cards, or candies.

You can cover the boxes with washi tape or paint. Kids can make such boxes, and they will cost nothing.

Wrapped in vintage sheet music

You can make beautiful paper from old sheet music that you find in thrift shops. It’s perfect for music buffs or anyone, to be honest; it’s beautiful on anything.

You could gift the present in the paper, and it will look as if it’s from a boutique. Attach the paper to the gift using a ribbon made from strips of cloth.

Cover clean tin cans for unique containers

You can make wonderful gift packaging using clean tin cans after you remove the labels and clean them. You can cover the outside with colorful paper, fabric, and/or paint.

Those are excellent gift packaging containers, together with art supplies, gardening tools, and more. Just add a ribbon around the edge and some tissue paper inside.

Take pages from broken old books

Paper from thrifted books is a great source of beautiful wrapping paper. Pictures make it more interesting, but text pages have a nice vintage look, too.

Paper from books is quite fragile, so it is best used for small gifts or layered doubling. Bookish friends will appreciate the idea, and you may find a book that correlates to the interests of the recipient.

Turn grocery bags inside out for rustic paper

The brown paper bags purchased at the grocery store can be cut open, turned inside out, and used as perfectly good wrapping paper. They are thicker than traditional wrapping paper, making them more manageable.

The bags can be painted, stamped, or left blank and finished off with a fashionable ribbon. The brown paper bags exude a rustic appeal that’s trendy.

Adding doilies to simple gift wrapping

Paper doilies from the dollar store can instantly dress up a package. Layer one on top of the packaging, use the doilies as gift tags, or create a fancy border around the middle of a package.

Vintage lace from the thrift store can also dress up a package the same way. Both can be had for a very small cost.

Collect things from nature for free home decorations

Pine cones, acorns, seed pods—scavenge for free ones in a park or yard. Glue on with hot glue, or simply string them together with twine for a rustic look.

These elements add warmth, a hint of nature’s scents, and a sense of homemade character. Switch out the shiny wrappings for brown paper parcels and top with one showstopping pine cone, a handful of sprigs, and voilà—high-end packaging.

Organize common items into designs

You don’t have to depend upon fancy equipment to carve designs onto blank pages. How about chopping up some veggies, like potatoes and/or apples and/or celery, down their center, and painting or pressing them into an ink pad.

Even used wine corks, bits of sponge, and/or tips of an eraser will create funky marks. The kids will love participating, and their uneven homemade look will be cute rather than messy.

Focus on one thoughtful detail instead of many

Sometimes, creativity is found through simplification – when the message is simple, it will be more effective. Rather than adding lots of other details, consider a simple fold, perhaps some bold ribbon, or a label; it is often these things that will punch through rather than more elaborate details.

When you have taken your time, it shows – not because it all looks expensive, but because it will be more evident through effort rather than price. You made it yourself, through your own two hands, which is precisely why it will be remembered.